


Falling in Love is as Easy as A,B,C

by thecompletebookworm



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Dark Castle, Extreme Amounts of Fluff, F/M, For the most part, I'm just filling in details, Rumbelle Christmas in July, somewhat ridiculous alphabet drabbles, the main things happened the same canon wise
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-28
Updated: 2015-12-31
Packaged: 2018-04-11 16:12:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 26
Words: 6,439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4442450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thecompletebookworm/pseuds/thecompletebookworm
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Laira348's RCIJ prompt: "Dark Castle Awkward Flirting" </p><p>Twenty-six alphabet themed drabbles that focus on two of the most awkward, oblivious, occasionally accidental flirters I can think of. Full thing is posted on Tumblr, just reposting here.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A is for Absences

**Author's Note:**

  * For [laira348](https://archiveofourown.org/users/laira348/gifts).



It wasn't that she liked him, her strange new master, who giggled at the slightest thing and whose quips were typically gruesome.  But she certainly did miss him, when he was gone. 

Belle wasn't used to being alone.  There were always people running around the castle, going about their business, and typically she had a chaperone to "protect her virtue".  Being completely and utterly alone was a new phenomenon, one that she would be the first to admit to hating.  

The castle felt empty when he was out making deals, as if the very building could sense his absence.  The walls further apart, fewer fires burning, her footsteps appearing to echo further in the silence. She could always sense his approach before she ever saw him, the slight brightening of the lamps and sweetening of the air. It was another reason she knew he needed her here for something more than cleaning; the estate seemed beyond capable of taking care of itself. 

Still, Belle would run to the foyer, feather duster occasionally in hand, waiting impatiently for the doors to open. 

He always seemed to give her a puzzled expression, amazed to see her waiting for him.  "Happy to see me?" 

 "Not unhappy," she'd blush trying to pretend that it really was just plain relief at not being alone anymore.

But it wasn’t that simple, because even though they were both tired of being alone, this was something more.  


	2. B is for Blue, Braids and Books

You weren't supposed to notice the help. That seemed like some unspoken rule.

Except he noticed.  He noticed a lot about his little maid. 

He noticed how on sunny days, the sky would be almost the same exact shade of blue as her eyes, and that it was those days that it took her longer to do her duties (if she did them at all). She would always end up on the window seat on the third floor with a book in her hand.  It was one of the only times that she wouldn't be completely immersed in it, instead watching the window.

He noticed how she would occasionally braid her hair back when faced with dirtier tasks.  It didn't even look intentional.  Just faced with a momentous task (like cleaning out the old ballroom), Belle would braid her hair back to keep it out of her face.  He certainly noticed how pretty she looked when she did that.

He noticed how she would stroke a book before opening it, like she was greeting it.  Her fingers would gently caress the covers before sliding down, letting her thumb run down the pages themselves before flipping to her spot. Her favorite books would also receive the loving gesture after she'd finished them, or in those moments when the emotions would be running too high.  She'd close the book, take a few breaths, before snatching the book back up to begin again. 

He noticed everything about her, about his precious Belle, from the way she took her tea to the face she made when he said something he shouldn’t.  He noticed everything and a part of him wished she was noticing things too.


	3. C is for Chipped Cups

She looked nervous.  Granted it had only been a few days, but she had seemed so brave, staring him straight in the eye as she made the deal that would change her life forever. 

 Her hands shook slightly as she poured him today's cup of tea.  The second she handed him the cup, her eyes zeroed in on a spot on the floor. 

"You're allowed to look." 

She drew in a breath before lifting her head to look him straight him in the face.  "I have no doubt I'm allowed to look, but what's it going to cost me?" 

"A proper cup.  Where's the one from yesterday?"  

That obviously puzzled her.  "The chipped one, I-"  

"Yes, dearie the chipped one.  I find myself quite partial to that one." 

"It's sharp." 

"Fearing for the monster's safety, are we?  Believe me, I'm quote sure I have the adaptations to survive," he gestured to his scales, enjoying the show he was giving.  "Besides it's in your favor if I don't." 

She set the tray down and gave him one last skeptical look as she returned to the kitchen to grab the missing cup.  It was only a few seconds before she was back, trying to control her breath, but it was still obvious to him that she had been running.  "I was going to fix it-" 

 "But there's no need now."  He rose from his chair, striding over to her side and lifting the delicate cup from her fingers.  "It's serviceable."

Belle snatched the cup back, in order to fill it with tea.  "It certainly has character and from what I'm seen so far of your castle, you certainly like character."  

Her smile wasn't quite a genuine one, but it was still better than the apprehensive expression she had worn earlier. Rumplestiltskin considered this a success.


	4. D is for Dancing

“Do you even know how to dance?”  Belle asked, swinging her feet absentmindedly as she sat perched on the edge of the table.  

“Of Course. I’ve been to thousands of balls, best place to find the desperate royal souls. Nothing stirs up jealously like someone else’s happiness.”  Rumplestiltskin was skittish, flitting around the room, grabbing the last necessities for his deal-making evening.  He wasn’t sure how directions to the fountain of youth would come into play, but there were benefits to being able to see the future.  

“I just can’t imagine you actually dancing.  That would ruin your dramatic entrance.”  

“I enjoy the art of subtlety.”  

She laughed at that, pushing herself off the table to stand right in front of him.  "I’m sure you do.  Like the way you arrived at our fort.  Very subtle.“  

He inched backward ever so slightly.  "Circumstances were different.  Proper royals need subtlety.”  

“Am I not proper then?”  She mocked, eyebrows raised in pretend shock.

“No proper noble would allow herself to chat so openly with a monster.”  

“Good thing I’m not a proper noble.”  Her blue eyes sparkled with mirth.

He couldn’t stop himself from grinning back and this time he did not back away when she stepped closer.  

“Since you do know how to dance, why not share one with me?”  

“Risky business,” he said, not entirely stopping her as she let a hand settle on his waist, unwilling to admit he quite enjoyed the sensation.  “Can’t have my maid getting more improper ideas.”  

She pierced him with a look that let him know all too well that she saw right through him.  

“You like my improper ideas.”  


	5. E is for Estates

Belle glanced back down the hallway. There had to be a recognizable landmark somewhere. She could have sworn the door to the library was around here.   Judging from the window, she was on the second floor, but besides that she was completely an utterly lost.

Finding a staircase would be the best course of action. The hallways just seemed endless; corridors really only distinguishable by the antiques piled in corners.

Maybe, if she just-

"Looking for something?"

Belle whipped around, too happy to see him to scold him for sneaking up on her (at least this once).  Still, it was a tad embarrassing just how turned around she was. She should have known better than to actually follow passageways hidden by tapestries in a magical castle. She had read the stories, and that was precisely the problem, Belle craved the adventures from those stories.

"Nothing in particular."

His hands kept moving although he stood very still. "Nothing?" Rumplestiltskin searched her face for even a trace of a real answer.

She blushed, "The way back to the library."

"Lost are we?" 

"Had to be at some point. It is a rather large estate."

Her heart jumped a little as he offered her his arm, "Well then, allow me to be your guide, milady."

"Why thank you kind sir."  


	6. F is for Frowns

Belle had hidden herself away somewhere. He had already checked the library, her room, and the windowsill on the third floor, all of her usual spots. He supposed if he really wanted to, he could find her magically.  If he thought Belle was in danger, he would, but he knew she was well within the walls of the castle.  He could give her privacy, at least for a little while longer. 

When she finally did appear, she was frowning, evidence of crying still evident on her face despite her best efforts to hide it. Rumplestiltskin hated it when she frowned.  Belle had one of the brightest smiles he had ever known. He would do anything to make sure she always wore it.

"What's wrong?" He tried to keep his tone soft, like he was asking Bae.

"Nothing important."

He resisted the urge to grab her and hug her tightly. "I'm sure it's important if it's bothering you."

She bit her lip, "It's nothing you can fix."

"I can try." 

"Something just reminded me of home and I'm-” Her voice trembled slightly and he allowed himself to reach out to hold her hand.

He gave her a timid smile.  "See, certainly something important."

Rumplestiltskin struggled to find something else to add.  He had been the one to rip her away from her home; how was he supposed to offer her comfort?  Then, he had an idea. 

"Would it help to write them? I have some supplies and I could deliver you letter," he began to ramble, not entirely paying attention to what he was saying, only the smile growing on her face. 

It was a relief to see her smile.

 


	7. G is for Gestures

He hadn't noticed it at first, the way she watched him. Belle would always look away if he turned in her direction, so he hadn't given much thought to it.  At least until she started mimicking him.  

Rumplestiltskin had always prided himself on his showmen persona.  It was easier to make the deals he did, when the recipient was too unnerved to look closer. 

But Belle would always look closer.

"Your tea sir."  She placed the cup down, before giving a complicated gesture with her hand and half bowing at him.  It was a movement he recognized all too well. 

"There's no need for that."

"Really?" She said, twisting her fingers and clasping them together in front of her.  "Because I'm not the only one playing this game."

He forced his own hand to stay still on the table as he answered her.  “Some of us have been playing it a lot longer than you have.” 

Belle gave him a smirk.  “It still looks like I’m winning.

 


	8. H is for Home

It had been a risk to bring her into the village. He had a few things he needed, potions ingredients too temperamental to be transported by magic. It certainly had nothing to do with the way she would longingly stare out her window, or how she might have mentioned missing people. He had simply taken advantage of an opportunity. He watched her out of the corner of his eye. 

Belle seemed to prance about so effortlessly, playing a game with the children that dared to get close enough to the woman who lived in the Dark Castle. She did not seem to notice how their parents were giving her accusatory glares, but not interfering for fear of angering him. 

As the sun sunk lower (and he pretended that he wasn't watching her), the children darted back to their cottages, and Belle gave the last one a hug before nearly skipping over to where Rumplestiltskin lurked, back up again the well. 

"Did you get everything you need? Are we headed home now?" 

"Yes. I have the ingredients." Rumplestiltskin tried to ignore how she had so casually referred to the Dark Castle as home and how she grabbed his hand and pressed her warm body against his side.


	9. I is for Imagine

Sometimes Belle likes to imagine they met differently.  No Deals. He just showed up at a ball she was at searching for desperate souls. Or he would happen to wander in on a library where she happened.  Maybe she crossed paths with him on her great whirlwind adventures. She had thousands of made up scenarios, ones that would make her Papa understand and not accuse the “monster” of bewitching her.  

She certainly wasn’t bewitched; at least not by magic, she thought as he wandered by wearing leather pants that might be just a little too tight.  

But even in all the circumstances she imagined, they were still them, because a future without him was unimaginable at this point.  


	10. J is for Jewels

It wasn’t his weirdest visit.  Still, it wasn’t what he would have expected.  A pretty girl (not nearly as pretty as Belle, he though) had nearly pushed him over on the way into the castle, looking at him pleadingly.  

“Well, dearie what seems to be the matter?”  

She paused for a second, before gesturing wildly, focusing on her throat.

“I can’t help you if you don’t explain what’s wrong.”  

She shook her head frantically, tugging at her thread-worne dress to avoid looking him in the face.  

Maybe it was the startled way she was looking at him, maybe it was the way she practically held herself steady to avoid running, whatever it was, Rumplestiltskin knew this time, he was in over his head.   “Belle!”  He called not bothering to raise his voice too much; most likely she was listening at the door.  

Sure enough, she breezed in with tea tray in hand as if she had just been waiting for this very moment.  "Yes.“  

"Translation, I don’t speak frightened idiot very well.”  

She glared, swatting him gently on the shoulder. “Oh hush, it’s no wonder you’re scaring her.”  She stepped around him lightly and gently put an arm around the trembling girl.  "Now, dear, I’m Belle.  What’s your name?“

The girl paused for a second before maneuvering one hand closer to her mouth.  "Amelia” but the girl’s whisper wasn’t the only thing that came out of her mouth.  A small little emerald fell into her hand.  

“Is that what’s bothering you?”  

Amelia nodded.  

“How did it happen?  These sorts of things are important.  Some magic is harder to counteract than others.”  

Amelia thought for a second, one hand stroking the emerald, the other counting the words necessary for the answer.  "Fairy, at well, supposed to be a gift.“  Diamond, Pearl, Emerald, Emerald, Ruby, Topaz, Diamond.

"Fairies,” grumbled Rumplestiltskin, inching closer to the two women,  "Nothing ever good began because of a fairy.”  

“Can you stop it?”  There were too many jewels for her to hold on to; Amelia laid them gently down on the table.  

“I’m surprised you would want me too.”  

Belle gave him another hard stare, but did not attempt to do anything but comfort Amelia.  

“It hurts.”  Pearl. Ruby.  

“I should have something. In return, I keep the gems.  Fairy made gems have their uses.”

Amelia eagerly stuck out her hand to shake.   The deal had been struck.   “Thank you,” she said, her voice much louder than a whisper and accompanied by no falling gems, and nearly as quickly as she came in, she was gone, half afraid he would change his mind and take something more dear.  

“You could have been nicer.”  

“I’m the Dark One.  I don’t do nice.”  Rumplestiltskin allowed himself to run his hand over the neglected gems.  

“She was frightened.  How are you ever supposed to get anything done if you’re constantly scaring the people you deal with?”  

“I’ve been dealing for nearly 300 years.  I think I know what I’m doing.”  

“All I mean is a little kindness can go a long way.”  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Based on the French Fairytale "Diamonds and Toads"


	11. K is for Kiss

Suddenly they were far too close, their faces only inches apart. It had started out as an argument; how did it come to this.  

Her lips were perfect, cherry red, her teeth biting down on her lower lip as she too tried to figure out what to do.  He no longer felt guilty for staring, because her eyes were locked right on him.  

She had no idea why he was so close, but now she didn’t feel like moving, at least not away.  She could probably lean forward ever so slightly and he wouldn’t even know what hit him.  But she didn’t because he looked as unsure as she felt. Besides, he couldn’t be thinking the same thing.  

Their bodies were touching, almost burning in all the places they met.  One of her hands was wrapped around his wrist.  He could feel the moment of her chest as she breathed and was thankful that at least their knees weren’t touching because otherwise she would know just how much they were shaking.  

Somehow it ended as quickly as it began, with disentangled limbs, hesitant steps backwards and mumbled apologies.  There would be no kiss today. 


	12. L is for Ladders

He tried not to look at her as she entered the room, instead focusing on his spinning.  

“Are we really doing it this way?”  She didn’t sound angry, just hurt, so he allowed himself a glance in her direction.  "Are we just going to pretend it didn’t happen?“  

"What happened, dearie?”  He couldn’t allow himself to relive the memory with her present.  

“There you go, retreating back into yourself, trying to pretend you’re not human.”  

“I’m not human.”

He felt more than saw her eye roll.  

“Pretend all you want, but I know the truth.” She set the chipped cup on the tray by his wheel and left.  

Rumplestiltskin breathed a sigh of relief and tried to forget the moments that she dropped through the air straight into his arms.  He wasn’t sure what was worse.  The seconds that she was suspended, falling, and he stood there afraid, unable to lift a finger to magically slow her descent, too shocked by both her sudden fall from the ladder and the sudden realization that he had no idea what he would do if something did happen to his little maid.  

Then she was safe in his arms, slightly heavier than he imagined but still manageable, especially with her brilliant blue eyes looking up at him in wonder.  He had let himself enjoy those seconds holding her, keeping her safe from the world, her body pressed into his, before having to back away in slight horror at the fact that he did without a doubt love her.  

And that couldn’t happen.   Because Belle deserved so much better. 


	13. M is for Mirrors

“I thought you didn’t like mirrors.”

Rumplestiltskin whipped around and for the third time within the last hour, he wondered why he even let his clumsy, nosy little maid into his workshop.  "Because,“ he said, using the second she was distracted looking at him to grab the mirror from her hands. "There are more uses than your mind can even comprehend.”  

She gave him that half frown-half smirk that he had grown to know meant you better explain without insulting me again.  

“Just more complex things, spell work, communication, disillusionment, spying,”

“That’s the real reason you keep them covered.”  

“Precisely, can’t let the world know the monster’s secrets.”  

“I didn’t know you dealt with monsters.”  It was her new technique of rerouting the conversation whenever he tried to refer to himself in a negative light, since pure refusal seemed to get her no where.  

The joking didn’t always work, especially in this case, since “The real monsters in the world, Belle, are the ones you’d never recognize as such.”  


	14. N is for North

The Dark Castle was a lot further north than Belle was used to, but that didn’t stop her from enjoying herself.  She really hadn’t experienced a proper snowfall like this before.  It had been amazing to watch the flakes come down, fluffy and thick until they coated the grounds.  

She had practically danced in them, no coat, far too anxious to see them close up.  They stuck in her hair and to her blue dress, but she didn’t seem to care, twirling, her tongue stuck out in anticipation of the snowflakes, experiencing a sensation she had only read about before.    She looked absolutely beautiful, but she was going to get herself sick.  

“Here,” Rumplestiltskin appeared beside her handing her a thick green cloak, that should make the weather even slightly more bearable.  

"Thank you.”  Her nose was already red and her face was flushed, although he supposed that could be from excitement (but was most likely from the cold as she was determined to be the death of him.)  

“Your welcome.  Try not to stay out too long. The storm should hit us hard soon.”  He turned to leave, but he had only made it a few steps before he was hit in the back with a snowball.  That little minx.  

The only answer was retaliation, specifically retaliation that involved magic, which meant she gave him a disappointed little nod and an armful of snow to the face.    


	15. O is for Ogres

They were closing in on her.  She could hear the pounding of feet, the frantic screaming as people tried to get out of their way.  This was the end.  She pushed the table as hard as she could so it was in front of the door.  It wouldn’t by her much time, hardly any at all, but it still felt worthwhile to do something, because she wasn’t about to die without a fight.  

Sprinting to the bookcase, Belle tried to make herself as small as possible.  She had always envied the other girls for their height, but not now, when her shortness allowed her to shrink down into a crevice anyone else would have ignored.   She still had a chance. If they couldn’t find her, they couldn’t kill her.  It was as simple as that. She held her breath, maybe they wouldn’t even try this room; there were thousands of people in the fort.  She was no special prize to the ogres.  They were not men; they did not understand rank.  They did not understand anything.

She couldn’t stop her gasp when the door and table collapsed into shreds. They were here and this time there was no escape.  She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to prevent herself from thinking of all the pain that would follow. There was only-

“Belle!”  

She shook her head.  That couldn’t be right.  She’d been the only person in the room; she’d been sure of it.  

“Belle!  It’s alright! Just wake up! You’re fine. You’re safe.”  

It took another second, but she was able to open her eyes to find not the half demolished castle of her childhood, but instead her room inside the Dark Castle, with Rumplestiltskin right next to her. He looked half as frightened as she felt, the knuckles on his hand white where he gripped the bed.

“It was just a nightmare.  You’re safe now.”  

She wasn’t sure what caused her to do it, maybe the need for human contact after her dream, maybe the way his voice trembled slightly when he said the word safe.   She hugged him, and he returned it, running one hand through her hair.  She had to admit the gesture was soothing even if it was unexpected.  

“You were screaming.”  

“Oh, I wasn’t trying to.”  

He sat on the edge of her bed, afraid of invading her space any more. “I know.  We can’t control what we see in our dreams.”  

She answered the question he steadfastly refused to ask. “Ogres.  I saw them attacking our castle.  You never came and our village fell, just like Avonlea.  There would have been nothing left.  Everyone was dead and-”

Rumplestiltskin shushed her, reached for her hand and began rubbing soothing circles on the back of it.  "But none of that happened.  I can guarantee you this was just a dream.“  

"But what if-”

“There are no what ifs.  Your village, your family, your friends, they’re all safe and they’re going to stay that way a long time.”  

“And if the ogres come back?”  

“I can’t make too many promises, but it should take a good two hundred and fifty years at least.  Even then I think you’re village might be spared.”  

He let his words wash over her, not letting go of her hand, simply keeping her company after the terrifying nightmare they both could relate to.  Rumplestiltskin had no idea what he talked about, but he talked until Belle was once again fast asleep.  Even then, he still did not leave until the first streaks of daylight snuck through her window.  She was safe now.  


	16. P is for Puppies

Puppies would be the death of him, he decided as he followed the little paw prints to where Cruella most likely stood holding his maid (who he did not care about one bit) captive.   He shouldn’t have even left Belle outside, certainly not for as long as he did.  

Still he thought, if his maid had just left the dog alone, they wouldn’t be having this problem. But then he imagined the look of pure joy on her face and he couldn’t quite entirely blame her.  She was far too excited about things for her own good.  

Although if he did get her a puppy of her own, it was unlikely they’d ever run into a scenario like this ever again.  And that idea had absolutely nothing to the grin he could see that would split her face near in half and possibly one of her little curtsies too.  It was simply a precautionary measure.   So that when Belle was safely back in the Dark Castle she would never be tricked into wandering off again.


	17. Q is for Quills

The one thing Rumplestiltskin knew with absolutely certainty was that since he had given the Belle the library, his quills had been disappearing.    

He find them scattered around her domain, occasionally stuck in books as book marks, sometimes next to blank rolls of parchment, crooked ones absentmindedly pushed to the back of desks as if the thought had been too urgent to wait to properly dispose the old quill. That woman just seemed to have a habit of taking his quills, especially when he needed them.  He had no doubt she was doing it on purpose.  No one could seriously be so absentminded.

Still, her stealing habit really didn’t change anything.  Rumplestiltskin just took note of which ones were her favorites and the castle soon had a supply that hopefully would be enough for the both of them


	18. R is for Roses

Rumplestiltskin hadn’t been thinking clearly.  There had been exactly two thoughts running through his head when faced with her fiancé: 1) He is not taking Belle away from me. 2) He cannot make it home; he may lead a bigger rescue to take Belle away from me.  

So he’d done what any quick thinking person would do and turned the idiot into a rose.  A rose that made a huge smile appear on Belle’s face when he’d presented it.  She’d given him that little curtsey and his favorite of her smiles. It had been brilliant, and she’d made it very clear that she would not miss the man.  

But now that Belle was gone, heading back to her real home.  Rumplestiltskin couldn’t help but realize the volume of his mistake. Her people would question him over the missing knight’s whereabouts.  Hopefully, that would be all they would do.  Hopefully, she would still be able to find happiness in her village.

Because Belle deserved that.  All the happiness in the world, especially since now they wouldn’t be able to share it together.


	19. S is for Spinning

“How do you do that?” 

Her hand was on his shoulder and she was standing far to close. 

“Do what?” 

“Spin? How do you spin the straw into gold? Did you know how to spin wool? Or is this just a magic thing that ignores the usual mechanics of things?” 

Rumplestiltskin knew she was talking about the fireplaces, which would spring to life whenever she walked into a room and never needed any additional fuel. Her frustrated little frown had been a sight he plastered into his memory. 

“I can spin wool. That’s how you have to learn.”

Belle took that as an invitation to sit down next to him on the small bench, nearly in his lap. "Who taught you?“ 

She seemed so genuinely interested in him, more so than anything she could learn from him. He tried to think about how different this was than his experience with Cora. She wasn’t pushing him, demanding the information now. It was an easy thing, conversation for conversations sake. That was most likely why he told her things he hadn’t told anyone in decades. 

"My aunts were old and had no idea what to do with a young boy, so they taught me to spin.” 

“I’m sure it kept you out of trouble.” 

He was able to return her smile, even if it hurt to think of the women that were gone now. “Most definitely. It was lucky I began so young, otherwise I would have no idea how to help you with your dainty little hands.” 

“Hey, mine are just about as big as yours,” she retaliating, grasping his hand and pulling their joined hands up in front of his face to show that the only major difference in size was the length of the nail. 

“Indeed they are. Now,” he took advantage of the fact he was still holding on to her hand and guided it toward the wheel. "This is how we begin."


	20. T is for Tarts

A noble woman was not taught to cook. He should be happy his little maid had gone this long without burning the castle down. Rumplestiltskin pushed those thoughts out of his mind as he rushed to fix whatever disaster it was this time. What was he going to do with her?

“Belle!”  He tried to keep the frantic sound from his voice but it snuck in anyway.  

He waved his hands above his head to try and waft some of the black smoke out into the hallway. This is ridiculous, he thought, I’m a sorcerer.  He moved the smoke away with a flick of his hand, not even caring about the cost right now.  Belle was in danger and that was all that really mattered.  

As soon as the smoke was gone, he could see her, face covered with sweat, caring a pail of water that was much too heavy for her, making her double over.   Belle gave him a shy smile, “Sorry. I thought they were going to work this time.”  

He sighed out of both relief and annoyance.  She never seemed to think much about her own safety in these situations, just on making slightly less blackened cakes and tarts.  "Why?“  

"I had a book.  I wasn’t completely making it up, but I-”  

“New rule.  No cooking unless I am here with you.  I’d like to avoid any more disasters.”  

“Fine,” she said, giving him a little smirk that meant she was actually pleased with the idea.  


	21. U is for Underneath

Belle could never help but see the man underneath the monster.  He would always fight her on his humanity, but she knew.  

She knew no monster would ever look at her so tenderly like the way he did when she tripped. Rumplestiltskin would be at her sign in an instant (which was almost ridiculous considering how clumsy she could be.)  His eyes would always go wide and he would hesitate for a second before he touched her to give her enough time to pull away if she so chose.  His touch seemed half for her benefit, half for his, as if making sure she was safe gave him some sort of pleasure.  

She knew from his dealings, which were fairer than the legends ever gave him credit for.  

She knew from the way he laughed.  It was a deep sound, one that she could feel reverberate throughout his entire body if she was standing close enough.  She didn’t mean the fake high trill he put on for company.  His real laugh was a little reward every time she heard it.  It meant she had made him forget the act for even just a second.  

Belle knew that no monster lurked underneath his skin from thousands of the littlest things.  He was human despite his appearance, and she was quite possibly falling in love with him.  


	22. V is for Violets

It was a mistake to give her the garden. Not because she was neglecting her other work, she did that before.  But because he could never get her to leave it.

“I’ve spent the winter locked inside there’s no harm in getting some fresh air.”    

But now that she had fresh air, she never seemed to want to come inside.  Belle would waltz out there, book and blanket in hand to sit amongst her garden.  

The garden itself wasn’t anything to look at, only the violets seemed to grow.  He could have given her the perfect garden if she let him, but she didn’t.   Belle liked working the land, despite its limited return.  She loved to walk barefoot and let the soil seep in between her toes.  It was the work that interested her not the outcome.  

And in the end that was okay.  Because when she invited him to join her out there, Rumplestiltskin knew he couldn’t be happier than lying together on a blanket among the rampaging weeds and tiny violets.


	23. W is for Why

“Why did you choose me?” 

Her words broke through the companionable silence of the room. She had been curled up in her chair by the fireplace; he had sat content at his spinning wheel.

Belle pushed aside her book. "You said magic always comes at a price. Why was I your price?“ 

"Place was filthy.” 

She laughed slightly at that, but pressed on. "And if anything, I’ve made it messier. But that still doesn’t answer my question.“ 

"Are you sure you can handle the answer, dearie?” 

She gave him a hard stare. "You know I hate it when you call me that.“ 

"I call everyone that.” 

She only rolled her eyes. "I’ve seen you come back with runes, or old books, or plants or even just promises for favors. What made you choose me? I’m certainly not valuable.“ 

Rumplestiltskin paused, trying to find away to both explain his impulsive decision, his curse’s commentary that it would be better to leave her to die, and his need to explain how she couldn’t possibly be more wrong. 

"You have no idea of true value then.” 

“And, what is that?” 

“Being able to laugh at my quips.” 

He couldn’t help but breath a sigh of relief when she did laugh and drop the subject, at least for now.


	24. X is for X marks the spot

Belle fluttered into the room the way she was only able to do when she was excited about something. Her smile lit up her entire face and from the way she held the book close to her chest, he didn’t have to guess too wildly about the cause.

“What was this one about?” Rumplestiltskin asked, already craning his ears to try to capture every single word of what would no doubt be a very fast paced rant. 

“Oh it was absolutely perfect! So there’s this girl and she finds a map, and she’s told it will lead her to everything she needs to save her dying father, but it’s a trap, that she gets out of because of a hair ribbon and the x on the map didn’t really tell her anything about finding the antidote, since it’s already been dug up. So she goes on an adventure to find it. She stows away on a ship and the ship is taken over by pirates and-” 

Even though she continued with enough energy to trample a hoard of elephants, Rumplestiltskin could not share her enthusiasm, his thoughts drawn to his own less than savory experiences with pirates. 

“But after the tasks, they let her join them, and she gets to have the life of adventure she always wanted, but she’s still worried about her-” 

“I’m glad you enjoyed it.” 

“I wasn’t done yet,” her voice sounded slightly hurt, he always let her rant and rave as much as she wanted about her books, but one look at his face told her this case was different. "What’s wrong?”

“I am no fan of pirates.”

“Well, no one really likes pirates. They’re just good stories. I could never really spend my life, gallivanting, killing and stealing, only to return to a boat and continue to plan more killing and stealing.” 

“Even if it was your only chance at adventure?” Rumplestiltskin asked, thinking of Milah and how many similarities she shared with Belle. 

“I wouldn’t say only chance. I’m living an adventure right here.”


	25. Y is for Yellow

He’d given her free reign to decorate her new room however she wanted. He really should have expected it. 

Belle was dancing around the room, paintbrush in hand, clearly attempting to kill him. 

“Why is it so yellow?” 

She turned to face him and Rumplestiltskin could more clearly see the splotches of yellow paint on her face and in her hair.

“I thought I got to choose,” her words were confident as if she already knew he wouldn’t be able to do anything about the hideously bright color partially on her walls. 

"You do, but why this atrocity?” 

“It’s a perfectly lovely color,” she whipped the paintbrush toward him and tried to stifle her laugh with paint landed on him as well. "See it looks great on you.” 

This meant war, Rumplestiltskin thought as he summoned his own can of paint and a brush. 

She gave him a smile brighter than the yellow paint and rushed forward, paintbrush extended. "En garde!“


	26. Z is for Zebras

"What is that?” Belle asked her, her attention leaving her book to watch Rumplestiltskin wrestle with a striped animal. 

“A zebra,” he answered matter-a-factly as if it was the simplest thing in the world.

“I’m afraid don’t understand.” 

“Zebra: a four legged herbivore, part of the equid family, common to grasslands and savannas,” Rumplestiltskin recited the definition as if that explained everything. It didn’t. 

“Yes. Thank you,” she said with heavy sarcasm. “But why do you have a zebra and why did you find the need to bring it into our house?” 

“Castle, dearie.” He smirked at her eye roll. "I won the girl in a deal.“ 

"Do you ever put any thought into your deals? What are we supposed to do with a zebra?” 

“You’ll see.” 

But she really didn’t, because Rumplestiltskin was forced to concede the castle was no place for a zebra when it had munched on pages from one of his magic book. The poor animal began floating, and burping bubbles.

She gave him a very well earned “I told you so” and he searched far and wide for a deal where you could leave the now magical animal.


End file.
